This invention relates to orthodontic devices.
Orthodontics is, unfortunately, to a significant degree characterized by unintentional inflicting of discomfort upon the patient. The bending and cinching of arch wires result in projections which frequently act as irritants. For example, regarding the conventional buccal tubes which are used to anchor the ends of arch wires, a free end of an arch wire after being inserted through a buccal tube is locked relative to the buccal tube by cinching or bending. Buccal tubes are mounted on molars and orthodontic brackets are mounted on molars or other teeth by means of orthodontic bands or adhesive bonding. An orthodontic bracket serves to guide and position an arch wire relative to the tooth in which the orthodontic bracket is mounted and to help transmit forces from the arch wire to that tooth. Most orthodontic brackets do not lock relative to the arch wire, which frequently makes it necessary for the orthodontist to bend the arch wire for locking purposes in addition to whatever bends may be made in the arch wire solely for the purposes of selectively applying linear forces and torques to the patient's teeth. This amounts to additional work for the orthodontist and the creation of additional potential irritants in the mouth of the patient. On the other hand, prior art lockable orthodontic brackets are difficult to manipulate. The following U.S. patents are of some interest with respect to the present invention but the various devices thereof are all clearly distinguishable from the present invention and the present invention is entirely unobvious in view of such prior art.
The buccal tubes of FIG. 24 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,165 are free of the disadvantage of conventional buccal tubes in which the wire is guided through the tube and the free end, which projects through the tube, can be an irritant in the patient's mouth. This buccal tube, however, is constructed very much differently from the devices of the present invention and, moreover, unlike the devices of the present invention is not disclosed for use also in conjunction with an orthodontic bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,514 relates to a conventional buccal tube or bracket. It appears that when this device is used as a buccal tube, it may not be necessary to extend the wire so far that it projects out of the buccal tube. The construction of this device is, however, very much different from the devices of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,074 relates to orthodontic brackets having wire clamping capability. The clamping mechanism, however, is entirely different from the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,034 relates to a buccal tube insert for converting a buccal tube for use with arch wires of different cross sections. This patent is of interest only in connection with a feature of the present invention in which there is provided a slip tube for insertion in a device of the invention to permit the device to float freely on an arch wire. However, the inserts of the aforementioned patent are, in principle, entirely distinct from a slip tube of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,231 is simply of general interest in that it discloses a different kind of buccal tube. This buccal tube has a clamping feature which is distinctly mechanically different from the manner of locking of a device of the present invention. In the aforementioned patent, the locking member is a wedge or a threaded element adapted to be received in the body of the buccal tube to bear against the arch wire end.
The orthodontic spring clip fastening system of U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,031, like the device of the present invention, eliminates undesirable wire pigtails. However, in construction, it is quite distinct from a device of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,818 also discloses an arch wire clamping device. There is, however, no essential structural similarity to a device of the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 415,829, an end portion of the arch wire has a rack formed thereon which cooperates with a dog attached to the buccal tube to permit adjustment of the tension of the arch wire. A device of the present invention, however, is not a rack and dog arrangement and permits infinite adjustment rather than mere stepwise adjustment, as well as free floating of the wire if desired.
It is an object of the invention to provide novel orthodontic devices to be used with an "edgewise" or "light wire" technique and which eliminate the disadvantages characteristic of the prior art. "Edgewise" or "light wire" orthodontic techniques per se, in which arch wires are utilized, are well known.
It is a further, more specific object of the invention to provide novel orthodontic devices which are releasably lockable relative to arch wires and which move in one direction relative to the arch wire and lock in the other direction.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description thereof.